


The Power of Us

by MajinSageMeliodas



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Gen, Slice of Life, Strategy & Tactics
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-17
Updated: 2019-04-10
Packaged: 2020-01-24 16:10:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 19,310
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18574966
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MajinSageMeliodas/pseuds/MajinSageMeliodas
Summary: Ash, James and Maxwell are three brothers united by their desire to see the world become a better place and their passion for Pokemon. They know what it will take to reach such a lofty goal, and that pursuit of such is lifelong, neverending. That aside, they will not give up, a result of their father's bull-headed determination.Of course, changing anything, even minor, is never as easily done as it is said. Between over four million square miles, numerous corrupt organizations and crime bosses, hundreds of friends, several Pokemon Leagues, thousands of battles, many encounters with Legendary Pokemon, and more than your heaping helping of overall chaos, will they be able to overcome the challenges that litter their path to greatness or will they fall before they can truly shine?





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This is a cross-post of the story as uploaded on FanFiction.Net.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Young Ash Ketchum is born to Delia and Alexander Ketchum, May 22, 1997. Days later, Alexander faces off and loses the Championship match against Lance Fuller, who becomes the new Kanto Champion. Unfortunately, the honor and joy of the event is soured by the deaths of Professor Samuel Oak's four lab assistants, just two days after the event, trapped in a lab fire that destroyed his home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was originally uploaded to FanFiction on 17 January 2019.
> 
> The story as a whole has not yet been uploaded to FicWad.
> 
> The chapter is backdated to the original release date, 17 January 2019.
> 
> Warning: this story is going to be a slow burn with potentially much longer chapters than I usually write.

"Come on, honey, you can do it!" Alexander Ketchum encouraged his wife, Delia, holding her hand with his own, though it was now quite sore from the excessive pressure. The ECG was beeping faster than normal for someone of Delia's age, profession, and lifestyle, though this wasn't a surprise considering she had been in labor for the last two hours.

"Shut up, Alex! Like... like I don't  _know that already!_ " Delia loudly chastised Alexander as she slowly pushed their baby boy out, the doctor encouraging her every step of the way. "Aggghhhhhhh...!"

"And just one more, Mrs. Ketchum! Push!" Delia nearly screamed and clamped Alexander's fingers off his hand with the pressure as she found the energy to make one final push, and soon her and Alex's newborn son was revealed to the world. Delia panted from exhaustion as the doctor cleaned the newborn's skin off with a sterile towel, then carefully wrapped him in a soft blanket with the assistance of another. "Here you are, Mr. and Mrs. Ketchum. Your handsome baby boy." The doctor removed the used equipment and quickly escorted himself out of the room along with the two midwives to give the new parents some privacy.

Delia and Alex held their newborn baby boy as they laid on the hospital bed together. Upon close observation, the baby boy's hair was black with a dark blue tint, and he had inherited the brown eyes of his mother and Z-shaped marks on his cheeks that belonged to his father. "Heh... our little baby boy... That feels so weird to say..."

Delia glared at Alex for a brief moment, but in light of the fact they had been responsible for bringing new life into the world, she couldn't stay mad at him for very long. "So, did you ever pick out from the list of names I gave you if it was a boy?"

"Yeah... how about Ashton? Ash for short." Delia smiled. She had thought herself the name was perfect the second she'd laid eyes on her newborn son.

"Yeah... I think that sounds nice." The two newlyweds gazed at Ash lovingly, the newborn still crying as all babies were wont to do. "Hello, my little Ash... I'm your momma."

Alex lightly ran his scarred right hand over Ash's head. "And I'm your papa. Say papa!"

Delia chuckled. Of course he'd already try to swing little Ash into his favor, even though he wasn't even ten minutes old. That was just how her husband was. Goofy and aloof even at the worst of times, though it certainly wasn't unwarranted here.

The two held each other and little Ash in their arms for what felt like hours until the nurse came in, informing the two that per hospital policy, Ash needed to be taken to the incubation room to be given food and have post-labor tests run to make sure he was healthy. The two gave Ash a soft kiss on the forehead and allowed the nurse to take him, though it was clear Delia didn't particularly like it. Of course, the reason she didn't put up much of a fight was because since she was a career researcher, she knew how these things worked.

As the nurse left to take Ash to the incubation, she handed Alex the patient copy of the baby's birth certificate, as well as the other documentation needed for Delia's stay at the hospital, as well as the acknowledgement of Delia's leave of maternity to take to Samuel's lab to file away. Alex kissed Delia and headed for the door as well. Before he left, he turned around. "I've gotta fly over to Pallet and get the documents dropped off to Oak, and after that I'm going to head to the stadium here in the city."

"So you decided you're going to accept Lance's challenge?"

"I already told old Charlie that once our son was born, I'd be stepping down as Champion. So I figure why not give one last challenger a chance to actually beat me? The last time anyone came close was Steven seven years ago. Of course, we know where that got him eventually."

"Heh, yeah. Champion of Hoenn, who would've thought? He definitely earned it, though. And we know he'll be a good Champion." Delia still remembered being in the stands that hot spring day in late July of 1991.

_Steven was definitely Alex's hardest battle ever. Before then, no one had even managed to knock out half of Alex's team, but he was the first to not only do that, but knock out a fourth too. And Alakazam to boot! Alex always hoped someone would come around that would be able to give his under-battled senior Pokemon a challenge._

_Of course, he got cocky after that and Alex wiped the floor with his last two Pokemon. But it was still the best showing any challenger's made since my sweet became the Champion. And it served to teach Steven a valuable lesson. He's probably the best Champion that Hoenn could've asked for right about now, what with Team Rocket doing their best to make their lives hell._

"Well, either way it goes, good luck, dear! And make sure you call me when you get over to Oak's lab!" Delia called to Alex as he shut the door silently behind him and settled in to get some sleep for the night. On the small nightstand-like fixture next to her hospital bed rested a copy of Ash's birth certificate.

_Ashton "Ash" Ketchum. DOB: May 22, 1997 7:54 PM, Viridian City General Hospital._

* * *

The next morning, Alex knocked on the door to Samuel's lab. The aging Professor quickly answered the door, welcoming the soon-to-be retired Champion into his laboratory. "Hello, Alex! What brings you to this humble professor's abode?"

"Oh, cut the act, old man!" Alex chuckled at the Professor's typical response to visitors. "We both know you can't intimidate me. Though you're welcome to keep trying, of course."

Samuel chuckled. "No, I never did get that past you, not since you won your first League back in Sinnoh ten years ago. So what brings you here? I'd imagine it has to be pretty urgent, considering you were insistent on canceling or postponing all your League events to stay by Delia's side."

Alex chuckled. That was Professor Oak for you; he never beat around the bush. Always getting straight to the point was ingrained in his DNA at this point. He pulled out the Viridian City General Hospital papers and gave them to Oak. "Gotta get these put in the town's official census. Doing my duty as a citizen of Kanto, after all."

Oak chuckled and took the papers in his hand, moving to the computer and scanning them into the Continental Database - CDB for short - while his wife of twenty-seven years, Sherry, brought out some tea for Oak and some sparkling water for Alex. They both thanked her before she headed upstairs to tend to Alicia. Oak's son Graham had also become a father, his newborn son Gary having been born the week before to his wife, Alicia.

Oak turned back to Alex after he'd filed the paperwork in the system and placed the remainder in a manila folder inside a bin nest to his desk labeled "League Documents - Outgoing". "So, have you decided on whether you'll accept this last challenge? I heard this Lance is quite the promising candidate for Champion. He didn't enter a League until he turned seventeen last year, but he's had a political upbringing and he and his team swept the Indigo Conference last year, on his first try. He even managed to do the nigh-impossible and beat all of the Elite Four in one go on the first try."

"Yeah, clearly, he's had all the best training in the right places and the motivation to aim ever higher, just like I did when I started my own journey eighteen years ago. The only time he lost more than one Pokemon was fighting Agatha, though that's to be expected considering Agatha's been in the Four since way back when old Charlie was Champion of Kanto twenty-five years ago, and she's the msot terrifying Ghost-type force you'll ever meet on the field. She's the main reason out of the bunch that I haven't had nearly as many challengers these last few years." Alex chuckled, realizing he was starting to go offtopic. "Anyway, yeah, I decided I'd accept the kid's challenge. If I win, then I'll just go to old Charlie and hand in my resignation and official recommendation, but if I lose, it'll be a hell of a way to go out."

"Well, that's nice. You're supposed to be at the stadium tonight, right?"

"Yeah, not very worried about that. You know Charizard is a very fast flier when he feels like exerting himself."

Oak let out a bark of laughter. "Oh, I know. You certainly gave the people of Fuchsia a dose of shock when Charizard decided it'd be a good idea to turn the whole city into a flight course." Alex chuckled as well, remembering how he'd nearly shit his pants in shock at the time. "Oh, before you leave. I almost forgot, but Steven just called me before you got here. He says he and Helga just finished sailing in from Hoenn and Sinnoh to watch the match. They should be here any second." At the moment, a knock was heard. "Oh, that must be them. Open the door, would you please?"

Alex got up off the small couch in the living room before checking the peephole. Upon confirming Steven and Helga had arrived, he opened the door and greeted the two of them, Steven with a firm handshake as the two were wont to do, and Helga with a quick hug.

Steven Stone, the current Champion of Hoenn, had decided to wear a suit for his visit to the laboratory. His wild silver hair, as usual, was left untouched, the top part forming the signature diagonal upward flat shape that made him recognizable in any crowd. Helga wore a long-sleeved black shirt that fit very snugly against her body, as if she didn't care about the late-spring weather. She also wore a pair of light green carpenter pants with a green and red belt fastened through its clips. Her normally frizzy brown hair had been smoothed and put up in two pigtails, leaving her to look ten years or more younger than she actually was.

"So how's it been, Alex?" Steven was the first to speak after the two and exchanged a quick round of pleasantries with Oak and thanking him for inviting them to the laboratory. "If you're here dropping off papers, can I guess that means your kid's finally popped out?"

Alex frowned at Steven's rather crude referral to his hospital visit with Delia. "Yes, Steven. And we decided his name would be Ash, by the way."

"Ash? That's such an adorable name!" Helga gushed at the name-drop of Alex's newborn child, giggling to herself for a second before regaining her composure.

"Yeah, that's what Delia told me too, after I told her that was the name I'd agreed on. Anyway, are you guys ready for the trip over to Viridian?"

Steven chuckled. As always, Alex was in a rush to get absolutely everything done, even if he had all the time in the world. "Yeah, we're ready. What, do you think you're going to be late to this?"

"Yes, I do. I haven't let myself live down the day I was late to my own crowning as Champion. Do you remember how humiliating the headlines were?! 'Champion Blows Off Ceremony, League Seeks Blood'? I won't let that happen again, and even if it means I'm  _hours_  early to everything, then so be it."

Steven shook his head and Helga chuckled at the little argument the two had gotten themselves into. "Come on, you two. I believe we have a match in Viridian to get to. See you later, dear Samuel! And tell the newlyweds I said congrats on the little one!"

"Heh, will do! You guys take care now." Oak shut the door behind the three Champions as Alex called forth his massive Charizard and the three began their journey to Viridian for Alex's final match as the Kanto Champion.

* * *

The sun and sky had given way to night by the time the match had started. That was twenty-six minutes, forty-one seconds ago - he'd kept a mental count - and Alex could honestly say he hadn't had as challenging a battle as this in ages. The last time he remembered being pushed this hard for a victory was his second League attempt.

_Back after he'd started his journey, he and his best friend Daniel Waterflower had ended up facing off against one another in the semifinal round of the Lily-of-the-Valley Conference. Better known back then by their government codenames Red and Blue, the two had fought a fierce battle that lasted thirty-five minutes. In the end, it had been the last match to date Alex had lost, but that loss was pivotal to his growth as a Trainer._

Alex had been run down to his final Pokemon, his trusty partner Charizard, and it wasn't hard to tell he had been put through the ringer. Through Charizard's efforts, Alex had managed to trim a 5-3 lead down to a tie, Charizard having managed to bring down Lance's Salamence with its most recent attack.

"Salamence, return!" Lance looked down at his Pokeball, a serene smile on his face. "You did good. Take a nice, long rest, and we'll get you to a Center soon, okay?" He pocketed Salamence's Pokeball and threw out the last standing member of his team, Dragonite. It was clear to anyone with a keen eye that his Dragonite had taken its share of damage as well.

_"Drrrr...RRRAA!_ _"_

_**"And Lance brings his Dragonite back onto the battlefield for a final showdown! This final stretch will determine Kanto history! Will Alex manage to defend his title as Champion and end his career undefeated, or will Lance go on to become the first Trainer to become Champion in a single try?!"** _

"The final round of the battle between Kanto Champion Alexander Ketchum and challenger Lance Fuller, Charizard versus Dragonite! Let the battle... BEGIN!"

"Dragonite, Hyper Beam!" Lance shouted to Dragonite. Alarm bells immediately went off in Alex's head.  _What is he planning? Lance has to know Hyper Beam leaves paralysis for a few seconds!_

"Charizard, get off the ground!" Charizard beat its huge wings to get off the ground as Alex ordered, but Alex felt a pit of dread form in his stomach at Lance's smirk.  _Oh damn, I've been played! Hyper Beam was a diversion!_

The Hyper Beam, instead of having been directed at Charizard, had been aimed at a part of the ground in the center of the field right in front of the dragon-type that had been dislodged from an earlier Psychic clash between Alex's Drowzee and Lance's Slowking. The chunk of broken field, having been struck by Hyper Beam just so, flew at Charizard almost before either of them knew what was happening.

"Shit! Metal Claw, now!"

 _"CCHHHHHAAARRRRR!"_  Charizard roared as his claw became coated in a metallic sheen and he struck at the approaching ground. Unfortunately, it hadn't been entirely destroyed, and the rest had clipped his left wing, leaving the dragon-type to crash clumsily into the ground. Charizard struggled to get back on his feet, having been pushed almost to his limits as a result of the earlier rounds in the match.

_**"And Charizard goes to the ground! What a clever usage of the environment on Lance and Dragonite's part! Can they follow it up with a finishing blow?"** _

It turned out they could. Alex encouraged Charizard to get off the ground as best he could, but the dragon was too injured to avoid Dragonite's final attack as the mythical Pokemon recovered from the ailment inflicted by its usage of Hyper Beam. Dragonite came in for a wicked Ice Punch which connected squarely with Charizard's jaw, and the dragon-type fell to the ground, defeated.

_**"HISTORY HAS BEEN MADE! In a shocking upset, Lance Fuller has managed to accomplish the inconceivable feat of going from League rookie to Champion in one go for the first time in Pokemon League history! A round of applause to Lance Fuller, the new Kanto Pokemon League Champion!** _ _**"** _

The crowd roared in applause at the amazing spectacle that was the match as Alex called Charizard back. "You fought amazingly, Charizard. You deserve a good rest and some top-quality food when we get back to Pallet." Alex approached Lance, and the two Trainers met in the center of the field, over the crater that Dragonite's Hyper Beam had carved into the ground. "Lance Fuller, you are the most challenging and fulfilling battle I've ever fought. You have my blessings as the new Champion. Always remember to keep Kanto and her people safe and happy, and lead the region and the League to a brighter future."

"Thank you, Mr. Alex. I promise I'll do everything in my power to protect Kanto, in the name of the League and of people and Pokemon all over the world." The two prepared for the official crowning ceremony as Charles Goodshow, known as the President of the League Committee the world over, approached.

"You both fought amazingly and gave everything you had. The crowd, both here and watching through TV and listening through radio stations all over the world thank you for the opportunity to witness a defining moment in history." Goodshow spoke into the mic as the two were led to the upper platform, and, as part of League tradition, Alex held up Lance's hand for the audience to see. The crowd went into an uproar, cheering for the battle as well as wishing Lance a fulfilling tenure as Champion.

* * *

Delia kissed Alex as he walked into the hospital room and laid down gently on the bed. "That was an amazing match, dear. I can say Lance definitely earned it. Beating you is something no one has done since Daniel all those years ago."

"Don't I know that. I hope Lance becomes a great Champion, just like those before him." Alex wrapped his arms around Delia and pulled her into a second kiss, before he rested his chin on top of her head. "I hope you don't mind if I sleep here with you tonight. I know the hospital won't."

"I don't mind at all, dear. Besides, you're famous anyway, so it's not like the hospital would  _want_  to get rid of you."

Alex chuckled at the truth in Delia's words. "True. They see me as some sort of paragon these days thanks not just to having been Champion, but also helping Oak and the League with issues back in my youth." Alex let out a drawn-out sigh. "Well, at least I won't have nearly as much stress, since running the country is now someone else's problem."

"I wonder how Daniel and the others are doing? I barely remember the last time I saw any of them."

"I think Daniel just got clearance to start a Gym in Cerulean a year or so back from the League. I say good on him. He never liked traveling that much, even when we were still going around, so it'd probably fit his MO to be in one place helping the younger generation out." Alex recalled the phone call he'd received from the mild-mannered man that had said as much.

"Well, that's nice. Maybe one of these days after I get out of here, we could go for a visit."

"Maybe. Don't forget Cerulean is ninety miles from here and a hundred fifty from Pallet. It'll be an expensive trip and something we won't be able to do very often."

Delia chuckled mirthlessly. "I know, dear, you don't need to patronize me. I've had to make research trips just as much as you've had to travel for Champion business, you know."

"Heh, of course. I think I'll sleep here again tonight, and then hopefully, you'll be released tomorrow or the day after."

Delia leaned into Alex's embrace. "Of course. These walls get so boring all the time!" The two chuckled, before getting ready for bed.

* * *

In the shadow of a tall tower in Viridian City, Giovanni, leader of world-infamous Team Rocket, clasped his fingers together and set his chin on them. "So someone has finally managed to dethrone my old enemy. It seems now is a better time than ever to take operations back into Kanto." The man tapped an intercom button on his desk. "Matori, come in."

"Yes, Mr. Giovanni?"

"It's time to take over Kanto once again. Gather Rocket's forces and return as soon as possible."

"Roger, sir!" Giovanni released the button on the intercom, then tapped it twice to engage local mode. "I am in the mood of celebrating. Someone bring me unhealthy snacks that I may gorge myself upon. Meanwhile, he contemplated Butch and Cassidy's first mission and how it might be going.

* * *

Justin and Theresa Stonewood and Fitch and Rachel Pratt ran to get the gas masks as quickly as they could. What had Oak been thinking, removing the fire extinguishers where they had been needed the most? That was a safety hazard of the highest caliber!

Rachel tripped on her lab coat and landed in a puddle of oil that didn't have any right to be there, and the fire soon licked the oil, quickly spreading until it engulfed Rachel in flames. Rachel screamed in agony as Fitch went into the flames to try to get her, but right as he went to pull her out of the fire and beat her off, a wooden beam fell from the ceiling and crushed both of them under its weight.

Theresa tried to run to help, but was stopped short both by her husband and by the weight cracking the wooden floor under the two trapped lab techs, causing them to fall through the floor and down to the basement. "Justin, what are you doing?! We have to... we have to help them!"

"No, it's too late. We can't go down there... You know as well as I do that Oak keeps the basement locked so there's no way we... Oh... oh God..." The two were very distraught at the realization that Fitch and Rachel were going to die, and there was nothing they could do about it.

They had managed to get away from the worst of the fire, but such was their grief, they never noticed as two figures in the trees outside shot sleeping darts at them, and they were soon out cold, trapped in the burning laboratory.

"Laboratory destroyed, targets killed. Oak will soon suffocate through the fumes as a result of the flammable liquid introduced. Mission success." The two unknown figures retreated through the chaos of the crumbling structure and the silent night to parts unknown.


	2. Prologue (1-2): One Step Forward

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex and Delia have made the hard decision to flee Kanto to keep young Ash safe from Team Rocket. Along with them for the ride are Alex's old friend Daniel Waterflower, and his wife Destiny, along with their three five-year-old daughters Lily, Violet, and Daisy, and their newborn fourth daughter Misty.
> 
> Right before they leave, a bombshell is dropped by way of the evening news, and Alex leaves, returning eleven hours later with newborns James Stonewood and Maxwell Pratt.
> 
> Unfortunately, Giovanni may have been clued in, because right before they leave Kanto, Alex shuts down an attempt to kidnap Delia. Alex convinces the young teenagers, Jessie and James, to join the group as they leave.
> 
> On the way to the Sinnoh region, Norman and Caroline Maple and their newborn daughter May join the group. After they arrive, they have a discussion with Johanna Berlitz, the Top Coordinator of the region, and her husband Blake, to figure out what they should do next.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was originally uploaded to FanFiction on 22 February 2019.
> 
> The chapter is backdated to the original release date, 22 February 2019.

_June 17, 1997_

All black. Rain and umbrellas everywhere. A very somber mood. One might say this was a common tragedy movie trope, and so it may have been, but such was a fitting mood for the funeral of Justin and Theresa Stonewood and Fitch and Rachel Pratt, four of Professor Oak's long-time assistants and beloved members of the Pallet Town community. All four had tragically been killed in what the authorities were calling a freak accident at Professor Oak's lab on May 24, around midnight.

Alex held Delia as she cried into his shoulder while the priest imparted the blessings of the two couples for their journey to the afterlife. Rachel and Theresa had been Delia's best friends and fellow researchers under the Professor, and the three had been working in the same field for the last ten years, so to say Delia was heartbroken because of their loss was not an understatement in the slightest. Alex himself was in a foul mood because he'd known Fitch and Justin for several years and knew they were good members of the community and didn't deserve this. Though the main reason he was in a foul mood was because the authorities, he was certain, were wrong.

The official report that had come back on June 4, nearly two weeks earlier, stated that the tragedy was a freak accident as a result of a weakened foundation and violations of health code, which Alex knew was total horseshit. He'd been there last year when the inspector from the World Government had paid a house call to Oak's laboratory/home and cleared it for continued operation, no alteration needed. What was also suspicious was that he'd looked at the autopsy report that had come back the day before - even though he was no longer Champion, being a former government official granted him clearance to access sensitive documents should the need ever arise - and come to the conclusion it'd been altered in some way, as if to hide something from the authorities. He'd promptly sent it off to the Database research division to have tests run on the document.

He looked over at Jason Yvonne, one of Justin's best friends from when they'd made their own journey together in the far-off region of Unova. A resident of Kalos as a child, he'd moved to Unova at age eight, where the two had met. At ten, as per normal standards, the two had made their journey. For a few years, they'd run circuits in Unova, Kalos, Sinnoh, and Hoenn, but the farthest reached between the two of them in a League was when Jason had come runner-up in the Lily of the Valley 1979 conference, against a Trainer who had been hired by the World Government to look into illicit dealings in the Sinnoh region, using the Pokemon League circuit that year as cover for their operations.

As expected, the man was devastated, with several handkerchiefs in his pockets as he cried for the loss of his best friend. Alex had heard his wife, Grace, was nearly at the end of her final trimester and had been admitted into the hospital, and so couldn't make it.

He also looked over to Professor Oak and his son and daughter-in-law, Graham and Alicia. The three were also emotional wrecks, considering they'd known the four assistants ever since they'd moved to Pallet Town. Samuel, in particular, was heartbroken. Alex knew how the older man thought, and he was likely blaming himself for not having been there to stop the fire from killing the two couples. Though there was nothing that could be done on his part; Oak had been called to a researchers' convention in Hoenn the week before and had found out about their deaths on the boat back from Hoenn.

To compound Alex's suspicions, he'd heard Team Rocket was moving out of said area and back into Kanto. Rocket had been forced out of Kanto by himself and Daniel right before their second League competition in Sinnoh, and the group had fled to Hoenn, where the political and economic climate was extremely unstable and prone to manipulation. Giovanni had been causing havoc in the Hoenn region for the last ten years, most likely to plant agents in the area.

Finally, after what felt like both forever and an instant, the priest closed the caskets and gently pushed them into the prepared ground. As was a part of Pallet Town's tradition, the attending members, Alex and Delia included, each grabbed a shovel and began to fill the holes and the caskets with dirt, many of them still crying all the while.

Delia was very concerned that Alex wasn't showing much emotion, and she approached him once the tradition had been completed. "Honey, what's wrong? You've been completely stiff the whole time we were here."

"This can't have been an accident." Delia's eyes widened. "Think about it. I just retired as Champion last month, and suddenly, you hear news of numerous people being murdered in Hoenn. And from what my sources have told me, every single one of them was a Rocket plant. That makes it almost certain Giovanni's cleaning house and coming back. Since I'm no longer a significant obstacle, he's going to try and re-establish his rule here. And what's worse, I ordered a copy of the autopsy reports sent to me once the coroner had completed them, and it wasn't hard to tell they'd been tampered with. Though what  _wasn't_  tampered with was the coroner's name. I'm going to head to the Database tomorrow morning, and you're coming with me."

"What? But I have to take care of our little baby!"

"You can bring little Ash along, but if my concerns are valid, I have little doubt Giovanni will be coming after you to get to me. And if that's the case, I'm not going to give him the chance."

Delia clicked her jaw shut as she thought about it for a solid minute. Finally, she sighed and hugged her husband. "Yeah, you're right. I won't forget when Archer tried to kidnap me. We're lucky Riley was there to stop him. If given the chance, Giovanni would definitely send another one after me." After a moment, she spoke again. "Do you think it's time for me to get back into the Pokemon scene? Because as strong as you and the others are, you won't always be around, and I have to be able to protect myself."

Alex pretended to think about it, when in reality he already had his answer. "That sounds like a splendid idea. Because though I hate to admit it, you're right. I might not be Champion anymore, but I'll still have to go away on business, and I can't just take you with me wherever I go. That wouldn't be fair to you or Ash. I'll talk to Samuel once we get back from Fuchsia."

* * *

"The hell do you mean the coroner was one of the ones killed?! DAMMIT!" Alex threw a chair at the wall of the Database room he and Delia were standing in, startling the receptionist and the man he'd been talking to, a Database executive named Jacob Duran. Ash started crying at the sudden noise, and Delia glared at her husband while she tried to comfort her son. "I knew Giovanni had something to do with this, but I didn't think his claws would be in this deep! Delia, we have to leave,  _now_. Jacob, I recommend you tell old man Hornet to secure the entire Database. If Giovanni is able to falsify records on a federal level, no doubt some of your information has already been compromised." He stormed out of the room, Delia quickly following behind.

He collapsed into a couch in the waiting area, holding his head in his hands for a few moments, before pulling out his cellphone.  _I hope Riley isn't off in some remote area again..._  He dialed Riley's number and pressed the call button. After five rings, right before the call would have gone to voicemail, Riley picked up from the other end.  _"Hey, Alex. I hope nothing's wrong; you usually don't call unless something's going on."_

"Team Rocket's back in Kanto."

_"...shit. I'm in Sinnoh right now, but I'll be there as quickly as I can. Where are you going to be?"_

"Don't know, have to run around to keep Giovanni from getting a hold of Delia and little Ash. Call me once you get into Kanto, and we'll set something up."

_"Got it. You keep yourselves safe out there, alright?"_

"I'm not the former Champion for nothing, brother."

 _"Fine, fine. I'll see you when I get into Kanto. Good luck."_  The line cut to signal Riley's ending the call, and Alex slowly stood up, breathing in and out slowly. Delia, having finally calmed Ash down, hugged him with one arm.

"Like Riley said, we can't worry. We just have to keep on the move."

"I know, but that's easier said than done. I'll have to start entering Ace Tournaments again to keep a steady stream of income going. We need to head back to the lab and see how Samuel reacts to the news. Then we need to start traveling around the regions, other than Hoenn for now until it settles down. We need to get in touch with our old friends and warn them of Rocket's return." Delia nodded.

* * *

"Norman and Caroline just called back. They said they would try to get down from Sinnoh as quickly as they could to make a visit, but they have little May to worry about." Alex said as he prepared dinner for the evening. He and Delia had returned to Pallet that evening.

"When did they move to Sinnoh? I didn't know about that."

"About three years ago, when Rocket's operations in Hoenn came to a head. Norman was forced to step down as Gym Leader of Petalburg City or risk Giovanni sending goons after Caroline. After that, he got himself and Caroline out of Hoenn as quickly as he could." Delia nodded. That made perfect sense. It was the same reason Alex and herself had now come to the conclusion they needed to be on the move now that Rocket was setting up shop in Kanto again. "Have you heard from Johanna yet?"

"Not yet. She's still settling into her role as Top Coordinator of Sinnoh. Not only that, I heard she just gave birth to her daughter, Dawn."

Alex hmm'ed in thought. "Then we probably won't hear from her until she gets out of the hospital. You're the strongest out of our original traveling group and it took you three whole weeks to get out, so Johanna will probably be out this time next month or a little later. In the meantime, I'm going to call Daniel and see what his take on this whole situation is." He quickly washed his hands under the faucet of the sink, handed his apron to Delia so she could cook in his place, then took his cellphone out of his pocket and dialed Daniel's number.

The line rang three times before Daniel picked up on the other end.  _"Hey, old man, how are you?"_

"Will you stop calling me that? Being two months older does not make me grizzled."

 _"Oh, you know I'm just joking."_  It wasn't hard for Alex to picture the smile on Daniel's face.  _"So what's this call for? You haven't called for quite a bit."_

"Rocket."

Alex could hear Daniel sigh from the other end of the line.  _"So you know too?"_

"Yeah, I was watching the news last week and found out a whole bunch of people in Hoenn got killed, and I looked into it; all of them were current or former Rocket plants. Worst thing, though, is he's got his sights set on Kanto again."

_"How did you come to that conclusion?"_

"The coroner who did Justin, Theresa, Fitch and Rachel's autopsies was one of the ones who was killed."

_"...shit. You have to be kidding me. I only just found out about Hoenn after Destiny got back from the League Leaders' meeting._ _"_

"Yeah, it's not looking good. I already let Riley know, and he's on his way from Sinnoh to help us out. Delia and I decided we need to be on the move too, and I thought it'd be a good idea to let you know as well. I think Giovanni's trying to get to me, and he'll take every chance he gets to do that. If that means getting to one of you, I have no doubt he'd do it without a second thought."

_"Easier said than done, man. Though I'll let Destiny know. I'm sure you already know she won't be happy."_

"Don't worry, I already know that. I know she won't like having to force Daisy, Lily, and Violet to move with us. They're barely preschool age."

_"Since you haven't called in a while, I don't think you found out, but we just had another daughter."_

"Really?! What's her name?"

_"We agreed her name would be Misty."_

"That sounds nice! Congratulations! But now that you've brought that up, you know that's all the more reason for you guys to start moving too. I have to let Samuel know about this. I don't think Giovanni will try going after him, though, because if he does, and Oak goes missing, the League would be on it like butter on toast."

 _"You're definitely not wrong there. Oak is probably the most respected professor the League has ever seen. It would more than likely get blown up into an interregional incident. Hell, I don't even doubt the World Government would get involved. I'll... Hold up a second, Destiny needs something."_  Alex waited for about five minutes, before Daniel came back to the line on the other end.  _"Destiny heard our whole conversation. She agrees with us, even though it won't be easy for the kids... Here, she wants to talk to you, so I'm putting her on."_

A couple seconds later, he heard Destiny's voice on the other end.  _"Is it true? Are my best friends actually...?"_  It wasn't hard for Alex to tell her voice was cracking.

"Unfortunately, yes. Delia was devastated at the news."

 _"Oh...Oh, Arceus!"_  Alex was very sad to hear Destiny's loud cries from the other end of the phone, and at that point, Daniel took the phone back.

_"I'll have to talk to you later, Alex. Once I've calmed her down, we'll have a talk about what we need to do. I'll have a response within the week."_

"Thank you, Daniel. Talk to you then. And for what it's worth, I'm sorry you had to find out about our friends like this." The line shortly cut on the other end. Alex sighed wearily as he slumped into a dining room chair, resting his forehead on his fist. Right after he sat down, Delia came out with two large bowls of chicken stew. She sat down in the other chair and passed on of the bowls to Alex. "Thanks, sweetie." He promptly dug in, partly because of his own hunger and partly to help forget all of the last week.

As he ate, Delia's phone rang. She answered it promptly, as was her habit of never letting the phone get past the second ring, though it also meant she never checked caller ID. "Hello, Ketchum residence, Delia speaking."

 _"Why... did you try to call me earlier?"_  It wasn't hard to tell the weak voice on the other end was Johanna's.

"Oh, Johanna! I... honestly don't want to worry you right now since you just had a baby girl. Congratulations on that, by the way! But we'll fly up once you get out of the hospital and tell you in person, okay?"

 _"I... don't like how you're talking to me right now, but you're right. If it's any kind of news that_ isn't _good, then it probably won't help me at all right now. I'll see you next month, then. Don't forget to pack some cold-weather clothes, because this year's been record lows throughout."_

"Don't worry, Johanna, we'll do that. You have a good rest, alright?"

 _"Will do, Delia. Talk to you later."_  Delia pressed the end button to hang up the phone, then turned to Alex. Right before she went to say something, she heard Ash crying from his new crib in his upstairs bedroom. She quickly took off her apron, throwing it on the chair she had just been sitting in and running upstairs to tend to him.

Alex slowly got up from his chair and walked up the stairs after her, and found her slowly rocking Ash back and forth in her arms, though he was still crying. Alex chuckled as he went into the room. "If he's anything like me, little Ash is probably hungry."

"Yeah, you're probably right. If there's anything he got from you, it's definitely that." Delia chuckled as the two moved down to the kitchen and fed Ash some liquid food they'd picked up at the supermarket in Viridian yesterday. Once being fed, Ash promptly fell quiet, other than the occasional bubbly-sounding giggle.

"I'm going to go ahead and see Samuel now. Do you want to come with? You can bring Ash if you want, or you can stay here and look after him." Alex said as he put the jar of liquid food back in the cupboard and went to grab his Indigo League hat, a red and white snapback cap with the Indigo League's one-letter logo, a red diagonal L.

"Yeah, I'll come with you. Let me wrap Ash in his blankee." Alex nodded and stood under the overhang of the foyer while Delia went upstairs. He pulled out his phone and found he'd been sent a message from Charlie.

**The League will need to see you to formally crown Lance as Champion on July 9. Be prepared for that. Also, my condolences to the Stonewood and Pratt families. From what I'm told, they were good assistants to Oak and even better people. Sorry for your loss. - Charlie Goodshow**

Alex quickly typed out a reply thanking Charlie for the notification and the condolences, then put his phone away as Delia came down the stairs with Ash wrapped in his small yellow and green blanket. "Alright, we're good to go."

"Alright then, let's head out." The two walked out of the house and Alex took out his keyring, locking up the front door before the two walked out the entrance that was the open part of the white picket fence and toward the lab.

Once they arrived, they found Samuel standing in the Pokemon ranch he'd consolidated for his research, observing the few Pokemon that hadn't escaped the ranch due to the lab's almost total destruction. Construction crews from Fuchsia, Vermilion, Cerulean and Viridian City were already hard at work doing whatever they could to repair the damage the lab had sustained, and replace what they couldn't repair outright, though Silph Co. and the Database would need to replace the completely destroyed electronic equipment lost in the fire.

Samuel saw them coming about a hundred yards away and turned to them as they walked up. "Ah, Alexander and Delia. I'm afraid I can't do much for you right now, seeing as my lab is in such a disheveled and destroyed state. What wasn't lost outright in the fire was irreparably damaged and has to be replaced, so I can't be of much use to you at the moment."

"We didn't come here to talk about what you do and don't have, unfortunately."

Samuel saw the stony look in Alex's eyes and immediately knew something was wrong. "What is going on, Alexander? I haven't seen  _that_  look since 1987."

"You need to be on the lookout for Rocket."

Oak's eyes narrowed. "And why should I do that? They've taken residence in Hoenn since the day you became Champion."

"Play that sentence back in your head and tell me if there's something wrong with it." Oak stopped to think for a moment before his eyes imperceptibly widened in realization.

"You're not the Champion anymore."

"Rocket is definitely returning now that Giovanni doesn't have me to worry about. He knows I can't call an interregional muster since I no longer have the authority to do so. That was the main reason he fucked out of Kanto in the first place. It isn't just that, though."

"Then why else should I be more vigilant?" Alex turned around to glare pointedly at the under-construction laboratory. Oak's eyes widened. "No... you're not implying.."

"There is no implying. I'm certain Rocket caused this. An entire section of the Database's Pokemon registry, gone. All of your thirty years of backed-up research, gone. Two families who were beloved to Pallet Town, but most of all you and I, whose lives were cut short. Giovanni might as well have taken a boat back and personally declared war on us. Not only that, but the autopsies were tampered with, and the coroner in Hoenn who did them was a fake planted by Team Rocket.

Alex had to tuck his arms under Samuel's shoulders to keep him up. "No... it can't be..."

"Focus, old man. You have to listen to me." Alex forced Samuel to stare him in the eye, and Samuel, renewed as his grief was, focused on Alex. "Giovanni may have been responsible for this, but he doesn't have the balls or the manpower to attack you directly. If he tried to hurt you in any way, he would have a giant target painted on his back. Hoenn especially would have blood for what he's done to the region the last ten years. He would be hunted for the rest of his then-short life. I don't even think the World Government would be above stepping in themselves. So the most important thing you can do is continue as you always have. Just keep on doing what you're best at, alright?"

Samuel hesitantly nodded. "Thank you for informing me of this... situation, Alexander. Now if you please, I would like to be alone."

Alex wordlessly led Delia back to their house, leaving Samuel to ponder this new development and grieve once more, not for a tragic accident, but for a deliberate murder.

* * *

_July 17_

"And that's the whole situation," Alex told Riley. The two were in a cafe in Vermilion City, Delia feeding Ash from a small bottle next to them.

"Damn. I can't believe Giovanni would have the stones to kill assistants of Professor Oak. And on top of that, destroying legal records for two separate corporations. If that rat bastard didn't have half of Hoenn in his pocket, he'd already have the entire country on his ass."

"Hey, honey, Daniel and the others are here." Delia spoke up as she finished feeding Ash, who quickly fell asleep in his mother's arms.

Daniel and Destiny Waterflower, along with their three children Daisy, Lily, and Violet, walked into the cafe and quickly took seats at the large table. Destiny carried their newborn daughter Misty in her arms. "Hello again, Alex. Wish we'd met under better circumstances."

"Well, you know anything involving Giovanni automatically has the word 'good' removed from the equation." Alex responded as the waiter, now having counted the full capacity of the reservation, came over and set down eight menus for the group to look over.

"I found out about the murder and a whole bunch of people being killed in Hoenn while I was at the League Leaders' meeting in Saffron at the start of the month. That was where they talked about setting a press conference date for the news. I knew exactly what you were going to do, and after doing a little sniffing around msyelf, it didn't take long for me to put the pieces together and come out with a puzzle with Giovanni's name written all over it.

"I knew then that Giovanni was coming back, and I wasn't surprised if he was going to come after us because of our involvement in driving him away when we were younger, so I immediately handed in my resignation letter and left. The reserve Gym Leader has already taken over at the Cerulean Gym. Hopefully, we'll be able to come back one day, but for now, Giovanni's shadow looms too large for us to have any safety in Kanto." Alex and Delia nodded. Destiny's logic, as always, was on point, no filler needed.

"Agreed. You and Daniel of all people know I don't like forcing people into situations they don't want to be in, but this is for our safety and the futures of our children, so drastic steps have to be taken. If there's one thing I learned to keep close to my chest as a Champion, it was that." Destiny and Daniel nodded. They didn't like the situation either, but they had to get the hell out of Kanto as quickly as possible. "Samuel already talked to the League and got authorization for me to take one Pokemon with roots in Kanto of each of the eighteen types to use as starters for the kids once they are ready to become Trainers. Also, he told me he managed, with a lot of string-pulling, to lower the official Trainer age for our kids to seven, though they still won't be allowed to go out on their own until they're ten. Though that put him in debt with the League for the rest of his life."

"That was very insightful of the old man." Norman Maple said as he took a seat at a nearby table. "Hello again, everyone. Caroline won't be joining us today. She's in her last week of recovery before she's allowed to leave the hospital with May."

"I see you managed to make it out of Sinnoh, and in good time too." Alex responded as a waiter brought Norman a menu to look over. By that time, the other seven had already ordered their own meals, and were waiting for their food. A waitress brought over glasses of water for all of them.

"Considering Giovanni's back, I had no other choice. I know there's a crime syndicate with old ties to Rocket back in its infancy in Sinnoh, and I wouldn't be surprised if Giovanni's making calls right now, so I called Vermilion and got authorization for a transfer-and-release on supervision. Then I hired some traveling doctors and got on board the first boat here I could. Landed in Cerulean last week, and the rest has just been us getting here."

Alex hmm'ed in thought. "Well, now that we're all here, we need to head to Sinnoh and get Johanna. She called me last week and said she's packed up her things and it ready to leave once we get there, unless she's changed her mind or something comes up before we get there. From here, it'll be a week and a half to Cerulean, then we take a two-day boat ride to Sinnoh, and once we land in Sunyshore City, it'll take about a week and a half for us to get to Twinleaf Town. Johanna won't be able to meet us on the way because she's dealing with personal issues. Norman, about how long is it going to take for Caroline to get out of the hospital?"

"She'll be leaving either later today or sometime tomorrow. The doctors still aren't entirely sure whether she's fully recovered, but I've already explained the situation to them and gotten permission for early leave. They're really salty about it, but it's necessary."

Delia chuckled at that. "It probably would have been the same here, but Alex insisted I stay in the hospital so he knew I'd be good when I got out."

"Well, either way, I rented us a few rooms at the Pokemon Center here in Vermilion while we wait for Caroline to get out. I could have forked over extra for a hotel, but we need to make sure to save as much money as we can, not just to make sure we can live decently for the month - about - we'll be on the road, we also need to make sure to pick up some new clothes. I have no doubt Giovanni's already got our pictures up wherever his hideout is, and based on what happened back in May, he won't hesitate to jump at the first opportunity to come after us." The others nodded to Alex as the waiter brought two trays out with everyone's food, and the group quickly dug in.

While they were eating, Delia excused herself to go to the bathroom, cautiously leaving little Ash in the care of Daisy, Lily, and Violet. Though everyone was paying most of their attention toward their meals or their children, Alex didn't fail to notice two figures with striking red and blue hair, who looked to be about teens, get out of their own seats and follow Delia. He wordlessly put down his fork and looked at Daniel.

When he looked back at him, he blew a breath through his open hand, an old code from their government work that told the recipient there was danger and to keep the others calm and prevent interference. Daniel's eyes widened in shock, before he quickly regained his composure and nodded. Alex then made a gesture to get the rest of their group out of the restaurant. Daniel instictively knew he needed to take the group to the Pokemon Center.

As Daniel silently flagged down a waiter and used his national dex to pay for the group's meals, escorting them out of the restaurant in short order, Alex approached the door to the women's restroom. This cafe had an open-roof design, with cross-sections exposed to the open air. He quickly maneuvered onto one made from the crossing of two wooden beams, grabbing onto the top and using the wall to launch himself into a perched position above the door.

A moment later, the two people from before came out, holding Delia hostage, as he'd expected. "Alright, Alexand... wait, what? Where did that group go?" The young man with the blue hair exclaimed before it rapidly dovetailed into confusion at the group's disappearance.

The girl with the red hair sharply turned to the man. "Were we found out?" At this point, the entire cafe was watching the two, a lot of them with fear in their eyes. Alex chose this moment to act.

He silently jumped from his perch and onto the ground, though his heavy boots did not do him any favors. The two heard him land on the ground, but by the time they'd turned around, it was already too late. Right as they found themselves facing the man they'd been sent to observe, two knives were placed against their throats. "If you know what's good for you, you'll let my wife go,  _right now_." Alex moved from his slightly crouched position and rose to his full height in an act of intimidation.

While the two hadn't flinched much at having knives pointed to their throats, they were now reminded just  _who_  the former Champion of Kanto was. Thinking on it, their boss might have world domination in mind, but he had to have been halfway insane to try to force the man into any beneficial position. Before the knives and Alex's fiery glare, the two released Delia, before trying to run. The knives were promptly dropped to the ground and Alex's long arms lashed out, grabbing the two by the collars of their shirts and dragging them right back. "You're not leaving. Face the music with some shred of dignity."

Alex turned to Delia, who was still sweating profusely from the sudden intrusion. "Sweetie, dial Daniel and put the phone to my ear." Delia did so promptly once she saw the look in Alex's eyes. When he was this serious, he had a plan, and he was  _going_  to execute. Once Daniel picked up, she put the phone to his ear. "Daniel, are you there?"

_"Yeah, Alex. I'm assuming you took care of whatever held you up?"_

"Not quite. Have Norman and Destiny escort the others the rest of the way to the Pokemon Center. I need you to go to the nearby Pokemart and buy a hundred feet of Escape Rope. I'll pay you back out of my account later. Once you're done, bring it back to the cafe."

 _"Got it, I'll be there ASAP."_  Daniel quickly hung up the phone, and Alex nodded to Delia, whose hands shook in shock as she put the phone in her pocket, nearly dropping it in the process.

"Go sit down, sweetie. Try to calm your nerves. Don't worry, I've got this." She did so quickly, and a lone man who was sitting at the table next to them quickly made room for her to sit down. Alex gave a grateful nod and a sad smile to the man, before returning his gaze to the two teens he had a hold of. Neither could be more than fifteen or sixteen years old, from what he could tell. Both were lean and looked like they'd been malnourished, almost to the point he could see their cheek and jawbones, which led him to believe these were Rocket grunts that had joined Giovanni's evil organization out of desperation rather than any actual interest to cause harm.

After a few minutes, Daniel ran in, holding a large bundle of Escape Rope in his arms. He looked at the two people Alex had a hold of and immediately knew what to do, tying their arms to their body and fashioning loops to hold the rope so they couldn't escape. The whole time, the two teens remained silent, mostly out of shock and a little fear.

"Thank you, Daniel. I'll deal with these two myself. Take Delia back to the Pokemon Center and make sure she gets a shower and a nice bed to rest in. After what just happened, she's going to need it." Daniel nodded without saying a word and quickly escorted Delia out of the cafe. Alex pushed the two teens out the door after them, but instead of following Daniel, he stopped in the street.

"Alright, here's what's going to happen. I will take the rope off of you, because air travel requires you have use of your arms so you can hold on to something. You will not run away, or I will only make it worse for you. Is that understood?" The two hesitantly nodded. "Good. Charizard, Clefable, come on out!" The two Pokemon emerged from their Pokeballs on his belt, Charizard in front of the three and Clefable next to them. "Clefable, use Protect to create a barrier so they can't escape."

The various people in the street quickly moved to the opposite end upon seeing Alex's famous Charizard come out of its Pokeball, knowing something serious was going down. Once Clefable finished casting the barrier, Alex untied and took off the ropes restraining the two, allowing them breathing room while he observed them. "Alright, get on Charizard."

The two quickly did so, and Charizard took off, hovering above a hundred feet in the air while he waited for Alex, who recalled Clefable before bringing out his Pidgeot.

"Let's get going, Pidgeot," Alex said as he climbed onto Pidgeot's back. Pidgeot gave a loud caw before taking off, Charizard following behind.

A few minutes later, the two Pokemon touched down in a clearing two miles into the forest north of Vermilion. Alex and the two teens hopped off before Alex recalled Charizard and Pidgeot. "Thanks, you two. I'll make sure you get a good meal at the Center once we get back to Vermilion." He turned to the two teens, who were still somewhat scared. "Walk with me."

The two teens, whose names he still hadn't gotten, quickly fell into step beside him. "I'd warn you not to try anything. I'm always on guard. Just because I've let you out of the ropes doesn't mean I can't restrain you myself if I have to." The two flinched, as if they were going to do just that, though Alex had already disarmed them of the only weapon they'd had back at the cafe. Alex internally smiled.  _Good to know I've still got my old touch._ "So, what are your names?" The two were still scared and hadn't seemed to fully pick up his question, so he asked again. "Please, tell me your names." Alex had a suspicion about the blue-haired boy, who looked like a younger, lighter-haired version of one of Norman's old friends before his tenure as a Gym Leader.

"Um... my name's Jessie." The red-haired girl spoke up first.

"M-my name's James, sir."

"No need to be so formal, though respect will certainly do nothing but help your situation, so I have to give you credit for that." Alex even thought the voices were similar, so he decided to ask a question to confirm it. "By chance, James, is your father's name Eugene?"

James looked at Alex in shock. He didn't need to say anything for Alex to know he'd hit the nail right on the head. "I... y-yes, sir."

Alex sighed and put his palm in his hand. "So can you explain why you're in Vermilion City, working with Jessie here under Team Rocket - and don't deny it, I know these kinds of things - instead of living with him and your mother Lucinda on your estate?"

Jessie's head snapped to James in shock. "What? You never told me you-"

"Jessie, wait your turn. I asked James a question. Let him answer it. I have questions for you, too, so in the meantime, try to hold your tongue, please." Alex cut in, not giving the girl a chance to finish her sentence. Jessie promptly clicked her jaw shut and huffed in annoyance before shuffling a little further away from the two of them.

James looked down sullenly, and Alex knew he had a problem on his hands. "You ran away, didn't you." It wasn't a question. James just nodded his head, still looking toward the ground and hiding his face. Alex promptly stopped, turned, and roundhouse kicked a tree, cracking the bark as his eyes filled with rage. "That pretentious prick! I'm going to have words with him when I see him next!" After having let out some of his anger on the poor tree, he forced himself to calm down, and he moved back beside James as the two started walking again. "This is going to hurt, but I need to know what led to that."  _Dammit, I thought I'd straightened his ass out when I saw him in Fuchsia!_

James hesitated, and Alex put a hand on his shoulder. "I won't be able to help if I don't know what led to the problem. You seem like a bright kid, so I'm sure you already know that."

James nodded before telling Alex of his experiences with his parents, about how he was constantly being forced to do things that he wasn't interested in, such as being forced to learn how to act and live like a noble, to the point he wasn't even allowed privacy when he woke up in the mornings. That alone already greatly angered Alex, but hearing the news about an arranged marriage that only aligned with Eugene and Lucinda's own interests made his blood boil.

"That's all I need to hear. Jessie, now it's time for you to answer some questions."

"O... okay." Jessie was more reluctant than James, but eventually Alex had gotten when he needed out of her as well. While he could tell James had likely entered Team Rocket out of desperation, it had been in Jessie's legacy. Her own mother had been a high-ranking official in the organization who was sent to a far-off region uncharted by any to hunt down evidence of Mew's existence and never returned. She had been placed in an orphanage soon after and was forced to doing things as dirty and unbecoming as eating snow off the ground as food. He also learned of her attempts to become a Pokemon Nurse which ultimately failed, as well as failed attempts to become a pop star and Kanto Pokemon Tech graduate, before she fell in with a biker gang, visited Hoenn briefly and ended up in Team Rocket alongside James. What was interesting was that in said biker gang, Jessie and James met one another, so they had more history than just Rocket.

More than any of that, though, it was obvious Jessie was the type of person to rush into things without thinking about it and not bother with much planning, which was what he could tell as the main reason she had fallen in with Team Rocket.

Alex quickly came to the conclusion these two kids still had a lot of good in them, but had been victims of circumstance, of things outside their control. They could be set back on the right path before it was too late. He called James over to himself, before asking a key question. "Do you want to be a part of Rocket?"

It didn't take long for them to answer in the affirmative, but he could tell they didn't really mean it. "Really? Okay, then let me tell you a bit about the head of the organization, Giovanni. You're going to want to take a seat for this."

After Jessie and James found a place to sit, Alex recounted his and Daniel's efforts against the man, specifically a stint he'd done inside the man's organization as an undercover agent before he'd become Giovanni's worst enemy. Jessie and James were shocked with how the man ruled with an iron fist and sought to control everything he could possibly get his greedy hands on. From events as early as his and Daniel's stopping him from taking Silph Co. over to the most recent move where he'd killed numerous figures in Hoenn right after the deaths of four of Oak's assistants and then their own presence to take Delia hostage.

"W-we only did it for the money, and because we had no place to go! I-I-I swear!" James was horrified to the point he felt like throwing up. He'd never thought anyone would have a heart black enough to mercilessly kill people and Pokemon for their own benefit. It'd shattered every perception he'd had of the boss of Team Rocket. Jessie was just as shocked. Her own mother had the desire to serve a man like Giovanni? And she'd  _looked up_  to her? What kind of monster did it take to willingly inflict pain and suffering on the masses for their own gain?

"And that's why I didn't immediately turn you in to the local Officer Jenny and the police department. I can see you two are good people that just ended up in tough situations. And it drove you to do things you'd otherwise never consider. I'm giving you a chance. Come with me and my group. Forget Team Rocket exists. We can show you that life is worth living. You can go on a Pokemon journey and discover a life of your own. You don't have to be shackled to a man who would only see the world burn."

The two didn't hesitate to accept Alex's offer, after having heard how horrible their boss -  _former_  boss, now - was. Being able to actually sleep at night and live with themselves and what they'd done wasn't something they'd had since they'd joined the organization.

Alex got up from his seat. "Now, do you have any Pokemon on you? Your own or given to you by Rocket?"

Jessie and James nodded. They only had one Pokemon each, both given to them by Rocket. A Koffing and an Ekans, and both looked malnourished and only just old enough to battle. "We need to take these Pokemon to the Pokemon Center as soon as we can. They're both severely underfed, and that won't do at all. Not to mention these Pokemon are barely old enough to even be used in battle. Typical of Rocket. Just like the dictatorships that ruled in legend before Pokemon existed. We have to go now. Put them back in their Pokeballs, and climb on."

Alex took out Charizard and Pidgeot's Pokeballs out again, sending the two out. "Charizard, would you please carry Jessie and James here?" Charizard nodded and lowered itself to the ground slightly to allow the two to get on, which they quickly did, and Alex hopped on Pidgeot's back, before the two Pokemon took off toward the Pokemon Center back in the city.

* * *

_"Reports from the orphanage in Viridian City indicate that two children already in the child protection system have been orphaned as a result of the fire that killed Fitch and Rachel Pratt and Justin and Theresa Stonewood on May 24 in Pallet Town. When asked about the two infants, the orphanage declined to comment."_

"WHAT?!" Alex shot off the couch next to one of the TVs in the Pokemon Center. Daniel, who was busy helping Nurse Joy with the records, snapped his head over to Alex.

"Alex, what's wrong? I've never seen you startle like that!" Daniel jumped over the counter using his arm and ran over to Alex, but he was already running out of the Center before Daniel could do anything to stop him. "Alex, wait up! Where are you going?!"

"Look after the others! I have to go to Viridian!" Not even a minute later, Alex had hopped on his Charizard and flown away, in the direction of Viridian City, along the rising sun.

Daniel sighed, slapping his hand against his forehead. "Dammit, Alex. I see some things still haven't changed." He walked back into the Pokemon Center, now having to deal with watching over everyone as well as buying advance tickets for the boat to Sinnoh.

* * *

Eleven hours later, just as the sun was beginning to dip below the horizon, Alex walked in carrying two babies, one who looked newborn. The rest of the group, who'd been worried about Alex and had sat in the lobby of the Center for the last hour and a half, bounded over to him, shocked to see him carrying two babies.

Delia took one of the babies out of Alex's hands, while Destiny took the other. "Why do you have two babies with you?"

Daniel was the first one to put the pieces together. He'd seen a rerun of the newscast after Alex left. "Are those the babies that were talked about on the news?"

"They are. Let me introduce seven-month-old James Stonewood," he said as he pointed to the one with dark blonde hair, "and two-month-old Maxwell Pratt," he said as he pointed to the baby with the brown hair. The entire group's jaws dropped.

"What? Alex, dear, please tell me you're kidding."

Alex shook his head at Delia's inquiry. "It's the truth. I was just as shocked as you. I stormed into that orphanage and wrung out every answer I could, found out they were the result of accidental pregnancies. So when they were born, our friends gave them up for adoption because they didn't think they were ready to be parents."

Daniel shook his head as he looked at James. "It doesn't matter. Our friends' legacy lives on in their children, and that's what matters. Delia, it would be a good idea to let Jason know about the fact that Justin had a child. Even if he doesn't want or can't take James, he deserves to know."

Delia nodded. "You're right; I'll do it now. Can you take James, then, so I can call him?"

Daniel nodded and wordlessly, though a little nervously, took James in his arms and slowly rocked him to keep him asleep, while Delia got on the phone.

After four rings, Jason's voice was heard on the other end of the line.  _"Delia? You don't usually call here, it's always either Alex or Daniel. Was there something you needed?"_

"Before I say anything, you're going to want to sit down, otherwise you might fall over."

 _"Okay, now I'm intrigued. You're usually not a source of gossip."_  A few seconds passed, then,  _"Okay, go ahead now."_

"Alex just found out Justin had a son. He picked him up from Viridian's orphanage when he found out, and he's with us in Vermilion's Pokemon Center right now."

Several seconds of silence followed, then the line cut. Delia thrust the phone away from her ear and looked at it, stunned. Alex noticed the look on her face. "Delia, is something wrong? What did he say?"

"He didn't say anything. He just hung up." Alex raised an eyebrow in surprise. From what he knew, Jason wasn't usually like that. This might warrant a call to the man himself.

Daniel frowned as he gave little James back to Delia. "Now that I think about it, maybe it wasn't such a good idea to tell him right off the bat. I mean, the man has to deal with his own daughter's birth as well, so dropping this on him might have been a little bit much."

"Understatement, that. You might have just given him shock." Norman said as Daniel turned around and answered his phone, having received a call.

A few minutes and a lot of thought later, the rest of the group decided they'd need to take Maxwell with them, and James until they received an answer from Jason, right as Daniel hung up the phone and stuck it in his pocket. "The ferry service just called. We leave for Sinnoh tomorrow afternoon."

"I'll head back to Pallet Town to watch over Jason and Grace. You guys have enough members in your group now that I don't think I have to worry about Giovanni's grunts getting in your way. Just be safe, alright?" Riley said, standing up from his stool near the group and donning his blue rimmed hat.

Alex stood up and hugged him. "You know we will, brother. There are three Gym Leaders and a former Champion in this group. Giovanni would be stupid to try something now, especially after I obliterated his last attempt. He's probably grumbling about how Jessie and James haven't returned and how they're crap to have been 'captured' anyway, or what have you. You make sure that he doesn't try anything with Jason and Grace." Alex said, making finger quotes when he said  _captured_.

"Will do. You guys take care, I have to leave now if I want to get back to Pallet Town in decent time." Riley waved as he walked out the sliding automatic door of the Pokemon Center, turning his back to the group right as the door closed.

"Well, with all that out of the way, I say it's about time for supper and bed. We'll need to be up early to make sure we catch the boat on time." Alex walked over to the table and started cleaning his miscellaneous items off of it as the others did the same, preparing for supper.

The whole time, Jessie and James watched on with curious but restrained expressions, having been the only ones to not have moved in the confusion.

* * *

_August 11_

"So you're sure you're not coming with us?" Daniel asked his old crush.

Johanna chuckled. "Giovanni doesn't have the balls to come after me. The new Champion and probably the youngest in a hundred years, Cynthia, has the same philosophy and mindset as our own former Champion here. If Giovanni tried to make a move on me - heck, anyone in Sinnoh, for that matter - Cynthia wouldn't hesitate to call a muster and hunt him down. I heard she actually knows all about Team Rocket because she has a deceased sibling who at one point was with them, so she's probably his biggest threat now that Lance is Champion of Kanto. I'll be fine staying here. Though why don't you think about staying here? Sinnoh has a nice climate and a very prosperous economy as long as you don't go too far north, and I doubt all this traveling will be good for the little ones in the long run. And I heard Alex and Delia here needed to do some Ace Tournaments and research from Caroline, and the region's got the most of those in the whole province."

Destiny nodded. "You're right. On the heels of what happened in May, we can't just go around forever. Even when Daniel and I agreed we'd leave Kanto and come with Alex and Delia, we knew this nomadic shtick wasn't going to be permanent. We literally can't afford it to be."

Norman relaxed slightly in his chair at the table. "I just have to wonder, what does Giovanni gain by going back to Kanto? We drove him out and the whole region knows who he is, so he'd be painting a giant target on his back, if anything."

Delia shrugged her shoulders as she supervised Jessie and James feeding Misty and Ash, being careful not to make much noise or do anything stupid. "Knowing the snake, he's already got some kind of plan. For all we know, he might already have several League officials in his pocket like he did when we thwarted him fifteen years ago."

Alex nodded. "Yeah, you're probably right. If there's anything Giovanni can't be beat at, it's his silver tongue. He could talk the wings off an angel if he really wanted to, and that's most of why he's so dangerous. So it wouldn't surprise me in the least if he's already on his way to getting control of Kanto again. We'll have to go back eventually to dethrone him  _again_ , and hopefully the next time we do, we can put him away for good instead of letting him escape like he did on Mt. Silver. I should have known as a kid that he wouldn't change, but I was too naive. I still remember how it sounded like a dream come true that he'd disband Rocket after I defeated him in Viridian."

"Men like him are too greedy for their own good. One day, he's going to get kicked down a hole and left to starve like all the worst people have." Johanna flippantly commented as she moved to the kitchen counter to prepare some formula for her daughter, Dawn, as well as Norman and Caroline's daughter, May. "But on the topic we were at earlier, there are several houses open here in Twinleaf Town that you can buy. Upfront, fully furnished, no down payment. A rare thing these days, and I'm surprised someone hasn't snatched them up already."

"I think we should try that option out. But if it doesn't work, do you have any other suggestions?" Caroline asked as she rocked May back and forth, waiting for the formula.

"The only other properties and houses that are on the market right now are in Veilstone City, or you always have the option of building from the ground up, but that one's going to cost more in the long run because you have to get a permit from the League and the Government first and you have to pay ownership and property fees for the first five years."

Caroline hmm'ed. "Then I guess our best bet is to stay here in Twinleaf Town."

"In that case, I'll start looking for properties that we can get at a decent price. Where's town hall?" Alex asked as he stood up.

"There isn't one. Professor Rowan handles all of the goings-on in the town, so you'll have to speak with him in his laboratory a half-mile up the road."

"Thanks. I'll go do that now. Jessie, James, you make sure to be careful with our children, okay?"

"Yes, Mr. Alex," both of the two sounded off almost immediately. It hadn't taken long for the group to warm up to Jessie and James. Both seemed to love taking care of little children, and sought to help Destiny, Delia, and Caroline out as often as they could. On top of that, both had very active imaginations and an insane level of attention to detail for teens their age, picking up on details that only Alex would usually find. Jessie was only sixteen and James fifteen, and they might have only been with the group a month, but it already felt like they'd been there for a whole year.

"Does anyone want to come with me? Maybe you could look at the houses or something, get an idea of the space. I know you'll need to worry about space, Daniel. You've got four daughters now, so you may need as much as you can get."

Daniel chuckled and got out of his seat, cautiously handing little James to Lily. "Now you be careful with little James, okay, sweetie?"

"Don't worry, papa! I'll take good care of him!" Lily said in a quiet voice.

"That's my baby girl. I'll be back in a little bit." Daniel took the gray jacket from off of the seat he'd been using and threw it on.

"I'll go ahead and come with. I have to see what kinds of properties are available here too." Norman got out of his own seat. "Hey, Johanna, not to impose, but while we're gone, could you look after Maxwell?"

"It won't be a problem, Norman. Blake is upstairs looking after Dawn, so I don't mind. Here." Johanna reached out and gingerly took little Maxwell from Norman's arms, allowing the man to grab his own jacket and head over to where Alex and Daniel were waiting.

"Alright, let's go find somewhere to live." The three chuckled before heading out the door.

* * *

Arceus was broken from its meditation by a presence in the Hall of Origin. It looked and found, hovering in front of it, Mew.  ** _Ah, Mew, my charge. Do you bring forth updates from the human world?_** Mew nodded, then telepathically displayed an image of the awakening of Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres, the three legendary birds of Kanto.  _ **Hmm, this is quite peculiar. The human world must be at a turning point in its existence. Keep a close eye on the goings-on of the world. Balance between people and Pokemon, and both of them with their environment, must be maintained for there to be peace.**_ _ **Was there any other information you needed to impart?**_

Mew closed its eyes and projected another image, this time of a young boy with black hair that had a blue sheen to it, sleeping peacefully in a human teenager's arms.  _I believe this child is the one you have been searching for, Arceus._

 _ **I shall be the judge of that, Mew.**_  Arceus used its Hidden Ability, Piercing Gaze, to observe the soul of this child, and it took five minutes before he returned to his consciousness.  _ **Yes, this is the one I am searching for. Thank you for bringing this to my attention, Mew. You have done a great service to myself and the people and Pokemon of the human world. When you return to the world, if they have not already awakened, please find Dialga and Palkia. I would speak with them.**_

Mew nodded, then used its psychic powers to open a portal back to its hideout in the human world. Arceus watched until the portal closed.  _ **The pieces have fallen into place. It is time for my children to become known in the world once more.**_


	3. Prologue (1-3): Starting Our Future!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A few years have passed, and Jessie and James select their starter Pokemon and leave for their first journey. Meanwhile, Alex receives a shocking request from Cynthia, the Sinnoh Champion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was originally uploaded to FanFiction on 10 April 2019.
> 
> The chapter is backdated to its original release date, 10 April 2019.
> 
> *All my stories are going to be on hiatus for the foreseeable future as I prepare to enter the oil and petrochemical industry and focus on looking after my physical and mental well-being.*

_November 19, 2000_

Alex yawned as he walked out of his house in Twinleaf Town, turning around and locking the door behind him.  _Alright, Delia's already taken the kids to Rowan's morning class, so Ash, James and Maxwell will be occupied for the next few hours. She's also helping him with recovering Samuel's data through the Database backup server, so she won't be back until it's time for dinner._  He walked down the road toward Rowan's lab, and while he walked, he checked his messages. The only thing he'd received was a message from Norman, sent at 2 AM in the morning.

**Come to the hospital as quick as you can. Caroline just gave birth! It's a boy!**

Alex chuckled as he let Pidgeot out of its pokeball. "Always straight to the point. Well, let's see his new baby boy. Pidgeot, we're flying to Jubilife's hospital, double-time." He hopped on Pidgeot's back as it spread its wings, cawed loudly and flew away toward Jubilife City.

Outside Rowan's lab in the garden where a lot of the Grass-type Pokemon under his care roamed, Delia watched Alex take off, a smile on her face.  _Sorry I couldn't make it, Caroline, but I have my own children to watch over too._  She looked back to the ground to find Ash stuck in a bush, crying with a slap mark on his cheek, and the Oddish that Alex had received from Samuel huffing in annoyance, standing next to James, while Maxwell played with a Diglett. Delia chuckled and ran over to Ash to check him over.

Meanwhile, Rowan looked over the sight, chuckling, before turning back to his latest research, a Starly inside a specialized habitat in the lab.  _Now to find out this new mystery..._

Pidgeot landed with a flourish and some kicked-up dust, in front of the hospital building. "Thank you, Pidgeot. I'll make sure you get a good meal and plenty of rest when you get back home. For now, return." Pidgeot nodded, before tapping its beak against the button of the pokeball and being sucked in. Alex turned around, shrinking the ball and putting it back on his belt as he entered the hospital.

At the front, the receptionist greeted him. "Ah, Mr. Ketchum. I trust you're here to see the Maple family?"

Alex nodded. "I am. I got a text from Norman a few hours ago saying Caroline finally gave birth."

"Of course. I'll let the staff know you're here, just head on up." Alex nodded in gratitude, walking to the elevator at the other side of the waiting room and stepping in before pressing the button for the seventh floor. Once the elevator chime sounded, Alex stepped out, walking down the hallway to room 723.

He softly opened the door and walked into the bleached-white room, closing the door behind him, turning the knob to make sure the door didn't make any additional noise when it clicked into place. He turned around to find Norman reading a fantasy story, Caroline asleep in the hospital bed beside him, a thin sheen of sweat coating her brow.

"Hello, Norman," Alex whispered just loud enough that Norman could hear him, but not loud enough for Caroline to wake up. "So, have you decided on a name?"

"Oh, hello, Alex. And yes. We decided to name him Max."

Alex chuckled quietly. "Oh, has someone bit off my style?"

Norman chuckled, shaking his head and putting down the book he was reading. "I admit young Maxwell had a bit of influence on both our ends for choosing the name, but even before what happened in Pallet three years ago, Caroline and I had decided after we'd had May that if we ever had another child and it was a boy, we'd name him Max, after Caroline's grandfather."

Alex nodded. "Well, that's good. Have you been keeping up on the Kanto news lately?"

"Yeah. Another one of Giovanni's plants got arrested for trying to perform a heist at the Fuchsia Pokemart. Got charged with breaking and entering, illegal possession of a handgun, fraud, attempted murder and voluntary manslaughter. Goon will be spending forty years in the Underground Prison. Luckily, the people that were hit in the Pokemart made a full recovery."

Alex sighed. "Well, at least there was  _one_  positive. Giovanni's been giving Kanto hell since he showed back up at the beginning of '98."

Norman nodded. "It's a good thing Silph Co. and Devon Corp. learned to get the hell out of dodge after what happened at Oak's lab. They moved all of their employees out of both buildings, as well as every regional office they had, then used explosives to destroy everything that couldn't be moved. Kanto is effectively off-limits to both companies now."

Alex nodded. "And that will, in the long run, make Giovanni's takeover harder. Without Silph Co. selling Pokeballs to the distributors in the big cities, it'll be much harder for Giovanni to capture Pokemon, and with Devon Corp. installing software in the Pokedexes to prevent hacking and cause self-destruction while simultaneously backing up the data to transfer to another Pokedex, he won't be able to make it seem like his Pokemon are legit." He sighed again, running his idle hand through his hair. "Though unfortunately, the both of us know those kinds of setbacks won't keep Giovanni down for long. He'll find some way to come back despite the loss."

Norman ran a hand through his hair. "Well, there's no use fretting over it. We're three thousand miles away from Giovanni's influence, at least for the time being. Why don't we just focus on raising our kids?"

Alex nodded. "Words to live by, no doubt." He got up, moving to walk into the hospital hallway. "I'm going to hit the vending machine and pick myself up a lemonade, is there anything you'd like?"

"No, I'm fine. Just had one an hour ago, so I'll last." Alex nodded as he walked out of the door.

* * *

_February 23, 2003_

In the dead of night, in Lily-of-the-Valley Island's Pokemon Arena, with only their families and friends as witnesses, Alex stood on the field, an exuberant grin on his face as Charizard managed to break even with Cynthia's Garchomp. "Come on, Charizard, show that Garchomp what for!"

Cynthia chuckled. "You're really good, Alex. To think you've managed to defeat five of my Pokemon with only four of your own. I haven't had a battle this challenging since I fought and beat old Henry for the title of Champion! Now, Garchomp, use Draco Meteor!"

Alex's eyes narrowed. "Charizard, get out of there!" Charizard, in response, tried to pull away, but Garchomp's claws had Charizard in a firm grip as it charged its attack, which it didn't hesitate to unleash right in Charizard's face. "Charizard, no!" The Draco Meteor tried to carry Charizard up with it into the sky, but Charizard was just a little too heavy, and they stayed on the ground.

Seeing the danger, Cynthia called out. "Garchomp, Fly out of range!" Garchomp took off into the sky for a moment to avoid the blast radius.

Charizard was propelled from the epicenter of the explosion, skidding and bouncing on the ground roughly until it stopped short of Alex's feet. Charizard tried to lift its head, but the damage had already been done, and it collapsed to the ground, its muscles relaxing all at once. "Well, damn. You did great, Charizard. Now return, and get a nice rest."

Alex put Charizard's Pokeball back on his belt and took out his most trusted Pokemon. "Alright, Tyranitar, field time!" Tyranitar landed on the ground roughly, causing a minor quake on the arena floor, the dust quickly being agitated by Tyranitar's Sand Stream and kicking up a fierce sandstorm that covered the battlefield. " _Ty-ty-ranitar!"_  "Alright, Tyranitar, use Stone Edge!"

" _Tar!"_  Tyranitar slammed its stubby arms on the ground, and multiple spikes of earth jutted out of the ground where Garchomp was. Without Cynthia's command, Garchomp easily evaded the attempt.

"Alright, Garchomp, let's set up with Rain Dance!"

 _What's she got up her sleeve? Doesn't matter, I won't let her do it._  "Not so fast! Tyranitar, stop Garchomp with Leer!" Tyranitar got a glint in its eyes, and it immediately stared Garchomp down. Garchomp only momentarily flinched, before firing its energy into the air as Rain Dance took effect, completely shutting down Tyranitar's Sand Stream.  _Damn, guess I can't take advantage of the field. No matter._  "No problem, Tyranitar! Use Dark Pulse!"

Tyranitar fired the Dark Pulse out of its hands, and it flew quickly to Garchomp. Momentarily surprised by the speed of the attack, Cynthia called out. "Garchomp, deflect it!" She already knew the attack was moving too fast for Garchomp to dodge without taking some damage. Garchomp promptly raised its arms up and blocked the attack, then sent the Dark Pulse racing up into the sky, the energy of the move dissolving. "Now use Double Team!"

"Earthquake, now!" Garchomp's attempt at confusing Tyranitar was quickly derailed by the massive tremor that shook the entire arena and disrupted Garchomp's focus, ending the move before it could get off the ground.

Cynthia grinned. "I think it's time I stopped messing around."

"Agreed, this pointless back-and-forth is getting us nowhere." Both Trainers touched their Mega Rings at the same time.

"Tyranitar, Mega Evolve!" "Garchomp, Mega Evolve!"

Both Pokemon grunted as the rainbow energy embraced them, and their Mega Evolved forms were revealed.

Cynthia was the first to call out a move. "Get in close!" Garchomp's increased speed immediately became apparent, as it simply disappeared, before appearing right in front of Tyranitar. "Now Dragon Pulse!"

"Protect!" Tyranitar immediately called up a spherical barrier to absorb the damage of Garchomp's Dragon Pulse. "Bulldoze, before Garchomp can move!" Unfortunately, Garchomp did move, and too fast for the move to have any effect. "Turn it into an Earthquake!"

"Garchomp, jump!" However, the next attack did have an effect. Garchomp may have moved on its own to avoid Bulldoze, but Earthquake was a different story. Area-of-effect attacks were much harder to avoid, and Cynthia's command came just a little too late. Garchomp was moving too fast to compensate speed for balance, and ate arena wall as the Earthquake tripped it up, its own momentum carrying it forward extremely fast.

"Get in there and use Payback!" Tyranitar stomped over while Garchomp tried to pull its head out of the wall, a beam of pitch-black energy forming in its maw, before it stopped and fired the beam at Garchomp.

"Hurry and use Brick Break to get yourself out of the wall!" Garchomp promptly raised its arms and smashed through the wall, freeing its head. Garchomp quickly turned around, but was only afforded enough time to raise its arms in defense before it was blasted by the Payback. Luckily, it didn't do as much damage as it could've, thanks to Cynthia's quick thinking.  _That was close._  "Garchomp, use Double Team again!"

 _Damn. No way I'm stopping that again. Time to think of something else._  "Alright, Garchomp, use Sunny Day!"

"Not a chance! Neutralize it with Rain Dance!"

"Hyper Beam, now!" Cynthia flinched in shock.  _What?! I… Oh, I see what you did, you clever bastard._  Unfortunately for Alex, Cynthia had planned exactly something for this kind of occurrence.

"Alright, Garchomp, are you ready?" Garchomp nodded, exhaling sharply through its nostrils. "Alright, get under the move and use Aerial Ace!"

Alex's eyes lit up.  _Big mistake._  "Tyranitar, you know what to do!" Even though Tyranitar knew exactly what Alex wanted, it still took time to build up the electricity. Luckily it didn't take very long, and right as Garchomp made contact, Alex screamed, "Now Thunder, full power!"

Cynthia's eyes widened in alarm. "Garchomp, get out of there!" Unfortunately, it was already too late. Garchomp absorbed all the super-effective damage, being part Flying-type, and fell to the ground.

However, it turned out Cynthia would have nothing to worry about. Because of Tyranitar's natural typing and Ability, using Electric-type attacks were a last-resort because despite being immune to outside damage from them, they scrambled the nerves in its system, and more often than not, especially in situations like this, worked for it the same way Self-Destruct worked for Electric and Ghost-type Pokemon.

Both Pokemon promptly fell to the ground, regressing from their Mega forms. Neither made a move to get back up.

Alex and Cynthia both let out breaths they were only just aware they'd been holding. In the stands, Delia and Caroline, as well as the two members of Sinnoh's Elite Four who'd been able to show, whistled in appreciation. "There's Champions for you, they don't hold back and they don't give an inch. Wouldn't expect anything less."

Delia chuckled. "Alex might not be Champion of Kanto anymore, but he certainly hasn't weakened in the slightest. If anything, he's gotten stronger."

Bertha nodded. Then she ran the thought through her head a second time. "Wait, Lance beat Alexander, so if he just tied with Cynthia, and what you say is true, then-"

"Yeah, maybe. Cynthia might actually be better than Lance. Though you know what they say, no battle plan survives initial contact with the enemy."

Caroline chuckled. "No doubt. Alex has put that theory to the test numerous times, even before he did get to Champion. He has a penchant for breaking the mold, so to speak."

On the field, Alex and Cynthia recalled their final Pokemon, before walking out toward the stands where the others were. "That was certainly an amazing battle, Alex. No one has been able to give me a true challenge like that since I fought Henry. I know that might sound odd coming from a twelve-year-old, but it's the truth."

"Not a problem. You've already earned the respect of the others, and I wanted to test your battle power for myself. You've got a lot of potential. We might advertise in Kanto that Lance was the first person to go from battle one of the League to Champion in one run, but that's only for Kanto, and after having been to other regions. You only started two years ago, yet you're already Champion. You're not even old enough to drive, yet you already have the respect and admiration of tens of thousands of people, if not hundreds of thousands, and you're already making changes that are going to help the region for decades, if not centuries, to come. You're a prodigy, a one-in-a-million person, that much is clear." Alex whistled. "I don't know what you had to do to be as knowledgeable and relatable as you are for someone so young, but you've earned the position tenfold, and don't let anyone else tell you otherwise. Most twelve-year-olds would be realizing they had crushes and trying to figure out how they failed their first League, maybe their only League, while you're doing things that people my age are normally responsible for, and changing the face of the world for it."

"Heh, thanks. I will admit, it's been very hard getting used to all the responsibilities that come with being Champion. I didn't even expect that I'd make it to the Elite Four when I stared my circuit back in 2000. I figured I'd get maybe to the finals of the League, and that'd be it. It's still a bit unreal, y'know?" Alex nodded.

"And despite all this being thrust on you, not only are you humble and confident about your role in the world now, you haven't let the constant government crap beat you down. That takes a kind of strength of will not many people have." Cynthia nodded in appreciation.

Cynthia remembered an email she'd gotten from Mr. Goodshow. "Oh, hey, Alex, if you don't mind, the League asked me to talk to you about something they've been planning for a few years."

"If it's about heading back to Kanto to be stand-in Champion in case something happens to Lance, it's a no. Kanto may be my birth home, but I'm not going back while Giovanni is still a threat there. He tucked tail and ran, only to come back out the second I got removed from the equation."

Cynthia giggled. "No, it's not that. Actually, I suggested this myself, based on how this battle was going to go, and I wasn't disappointed. I want you to become the co-Champion. The League has already approved the motion."

Alex stopped on a dime, blinking rapidly for a few seconds before he turned to Cynthia. "Old Man Goodshow hasn't gone senile now, has he?"

"No, this was my idea. You left Kanto precisely so you wouldn't have to worry about Giovanni and Team Rocket, right? This way, not only are you able to get right back into the position you've been comfortable with for nearly fifteen years, by becoming Champion again, at least in part, you eliminate any risk of Giovanni staking a claim here in Sinnoh, which, let's be honest, would have happened if it was just me. As powerful and influential as I may be, I'm still only twelve years old, and no man in his position is going to see any twelve-year-old as a threat."

"Maybe that's because despite being Champion, not many people know much about you. Meanwhile, you should ask Giovanni himself how much of a thorn in his side I was at your age. I'm pretty sure he tried to kill me a few times when I was a kid." Cynthia's eyes widened. "But, you know, that sounds nice. I was actually starting to miss being Champion, and this way, I don't have to worry about Ash and the others, or my family. I think I'll take you up on that, then."

* * *

_August 26, 2003_

"Jess, don't leave! I don't want you to leave!" Ash was understandably very unhappy that his older sister was leaving. The fact he knew she and James were heading out on their Pokemon journey was little more than a forgotten thought in the back of his mind.

Ash wasn't the only one either. "No, come on, stay!" Misty, Maxwell and James, who decided he'd go by Jay, crowded around James as he hefted his backpack on his fingers.

"Hey, you guys know I can't stay here. I've got to explore the world, see what all this amazing region of ours has to offer. I'll be back to visit once we're done, okay?"

Alex chuckled, from his position on Johanna's porch. Delia, Caroline, Johanna, Norman and Rowan stood there as well, all there to wish Jessie and James luck on their journey.

"Hmm... I wonder, of all Pokemon, why they chose Pidgey and Caterpie as their starters. Alexander, you've told me that Jessie and James are both more partial to Dragon types, right?"

Alex hmm'd in thought. "Well, Harold, as you already well know, Dragon types might be loyal for starters, but once they start evolving, they become very hard to control, and I know Jessie and James can't handle that, as they are right now. Their decisions, however, were their own. Neither of them spared a single glance to Dratini when I had them in the lab, so I'm not surprised. On that topic as well, I wouldn't be surprised if having a starter that rare would paint targets on their backs for Rocket to exploit, and even though they aren't my flesh and blood, I won't let Rocket anywhere near my children if I can help it."

The Professor nodded. "A wise decision. I agree with you that Dragon types become very hard to control as a result of their nature. Though Dragonite is one of the few exceptions, it is again wise to not have them draw any unnecessary attention. Besides, I remember you talked with the League back in October to allow them one additional starter for each region they visit, right?"

"Right. Even Jessie and James, in that regard. I was quite the adventurer when I was a kid, so I know they all got that from me. So, I made sure to prepare for that. Besides, that wasn't the only reason either. This is also a test of sorts. No matter how far they go their first time, having them take care of another starter with each region they visit will remind them of their roots and keep them sharp so they don't get arrogant. Every Pokemon has a different personality, so this will also help them learn key life lessons about how to take care of themselves and others."

Harold nodded. "Well, now that this has been taken care of, I'm going to be heading back to the lab. I believe Samuel wished to speak with me regarding some new discovery."

"Alright, old man, see you later. And good luck with that."

Harold chuckled as he stepped off the porch and headed down the road to his lab. "I'm not  _that_  old yet, Alexander."

Delia stepped up next to Alex as Jessie and James went down the other end of the road, in the direction of Sandgem Town.

* * *

_June 19, 2004_

"Now, I want you guys to pay attention before I allow you to pick your starters. Pokemon battles are not just for sport, they're about developing the bonds between Trainer and Pokemon, Pokemon and Pokemon, and Trainer and Trainer alike. This came out of the battles of the past, which were not out of sport, they were out of survival." Alex spoke as he drew on the blackboard he'd rented from Harold's lab the week before, while he drafted a script for this specific lesson. Ash, Misty, James, Maxwell, May, and Dawn sat in classroom-style chairs in front of him, though it wasn't hard to tell Maxwell was starting to become impatient.

"In the old days, before the peace that came two hundred years ago after the Creation War, Pokemon were not our friends and allies, as they are today. The people of the old world thought of Pokemon as little more than animals. Animals with fighting ability even they didn't have, but still animals. Some even hunted down the Pokemon we cherish today, simply so they could feed their families." Alex inwardly grimaced at the expression on James, Misty, and Dawn's faces, though it couldn't be helped; he had to make sure his children, as well as those of his extended family, were prepared for anything the world could potentially throw at them, and the best way to do so was to educate them on the failings of the past, so that the mistakes of the old world couldn't be repeated. "Those who sought power used the Pokemon to fight the battles they couldn't win on their own, and as a result, the loss of life was unparalleled. Such a worldwide catastrophe has not happened before or since."

He pointed to crudely drawn pictures of various scenes that were common in the days of the War. "And you'd be mistaken in thinking these battles were only using Pokemon to fight humankind. There were many Pokemon we hold as legend in the present time that existed before the War. Those people used the Pokemon they'd marshalled under their command to fight other Pokemon because they saw them as threats to their ways of life, and as a result, many species of Pokemon that are now revered as legend or myth went extinct."

Finally, he pointed to a picture of Sir Aaron. "This man, Sir Aaron, is a distant relative of the Ketchum line. Very distant, to the point we don't include our surname when referring to him, but nevertheless, he was one of the saviors that led to the end of the War. Now, don't believe the legends you've heard; while he  _does_  have the mythical power of manipulating Aura energies that are normally only present in certain species of Pokemon, it has been overblown to massive proportions. The tales told today would have you believe he was capable of moving heaven and earth, when that is certainly not the case. Either way, he's recognized as the key figure responsible for ending the War. He'd made a journey to Mount Coronet here in the Sinnoh region and is still, to this day, credited for first discovering the Spear Pillar, and played the last existing Azure Flute to call the Creation Pokemon, Arceus itself, down from its realm of residence, and with Arceus's help, ended the War and divided the Three Poles, the main areas of the populated world, into the Regions as we know them today. The North Pole, containing the areas of Johto, Sinnoh, and Unova; the Central Pole, containing what is now the Hoenn, Kanto, and Kalos regions, and the East Pole, containing the regions of Alola and Galar."

"Umm, Dad? I've never heard of a Gulee-whatchacallit region before." Ash raised his hand, a confused expression on his face.

Alex chuckled. "Very astute observation, Ash. The reason for that is that the Galar region has been extremely secretive since the end of the War, and only the Champions have knowledge beyond simply 'it exists'. Galar refuses to interact with the other regions, though that may change soon. Even the League has sworn me to secrecy over the matter, so I cannot share any more information than what I've already given you." He erased the irrelevant parts of what he'd written. "Now, the whole reason I'm telling you this is because it's our duty to show you, our children, what the old world had to suffer through for civilization, both for humankind and Pokemon, to become what it is today. We teach you these things before you're allowed to select your starter Pokemon because even the Champions themselves are certain that if the world is allowed to fall back into the state it once was, all life will become a fading memory. The way we see it, and have since the end of the War, is that Sir Aaron was a sign, civilization's one chance to change its ways, and that if we don't keep the peace, we won't get another chance."

Alex erased the rest of the markings from the blackboard and pushed it away, and an instant later, the somewhat grim atmosphere was replaced with a much cheerier atmosphere as the old-fashioned chalkboard behind the blackboard was revealed, pictures of each of the sixteen remaining Kanto starters the League had given permission for Alex to carry on the green backdrop.

"These are the sixteen Kanto Pokemon you're allowed to choose from to begin your journey, though what I haven't told you yet is that you're actually not able to leave and start exploring the region until you turn ten. The League allowed me to create provisional licenses for each of you, and now that you've all turned seven, you're allowed to begin learning how to take care of Pokemon." Alex held in a chuckle at seeing the children deflate slightly. "Professor, bring out the Pokeballs now, if you please!"

Harold did so quickly enough, bringing out the sixteen Pokeballs on a small cart. Ash and Dawn were the only two of the six children to notice that the Pokeballs had markings that likely indicated their type.  _Too bad we don't have any Flying-primary Pokemon in Kanto, otherwise we'd have one here. And not having a Steel-primary isn't much of a loss this time, because we only recently discovered Meltan and considering the fact the League considers it a Mythical Pokemon, they and I both aren't about to let a rookie choose one to be their starter._

"The Pokeballs you see in front of you contain fourteen Pokemon, one of which will become your starter as of today. Each Pokemon is of a specific type."

Maxwell raised his hand. "Hey, Dad? I have a question."

Alex nodded. "Go ahead, Maxwell."

"Why are there only sixteen Pokeballs? From what you've told us before, there are eighteen officially recognized Pokemon types."

"Right you are, Maxwell. As you all know, there are no Flying or Steel-primary types in Kanto, aside from Meltan, which the League and I both don't want you to have as a starter. That leaves you to pick from one of the other sixteen types here." Alex quickly tapped the buttons on the front of each Pokeball, and each of the sixteen Pokemon came out. "The Normal-type, Pidgey. The Fire-type, Vulpix. The Water-type, Poliwag. The Grass-type, Oddish. The Bug-type, Caterpie. The Ground-type, Diglett. The Rock-type, Geodude. The Electric-type, Pichu. The Fairy-type, Cleffa. The Dragon-type, Dratini. The Fighting-type, Tyrogue. The Poison-type, Nidoran. The Dark-type, Meowth. The Ice-type, Sandshrew. The Psychic-type, Abra. And finally, the Ghost type, Gastly."

Misty raised her hand. "Is it just me, or do the Meowth and Sandshrew look weird?"

Alex inwardly cringed.  _Points off in both mine_ and _their eyes for that one. Come on, Misty, think before you speak._  "You wouldn't be wrong, Misty, but I advise you to be careful about what you say in the future." Misty had the decency to blush in embarrassment and mutter out a half-hearted apology. "But yes, this Meowth and Sandshrew are different from your usual. They are what is known as regional variants, Pokemon that have migrated to another region from their home region and adapted to the climate there, resulting in changes to appearance, diet, and all sorts of things. Even a Pokemon's type can be changed. In this case, Meowth is normally a Normal-type and Sandshrew is a Ground-type, but both of them are variants that make their home in the Alola region. Meowth's type naturally changed from Normal to Dark-type, and Sandshrew's from Ground to Ice and Steel. Since they are both branches of Kanto-native Pokemon, though, the League allowed me to introduce them as starters.

"Now, the most important thing to remember about whichever one you choose is that, just like you, they have feelings and needs, and more importantly, just like you, they are young and need proper care and supervision. That said, consider which Pokemon you'd like. You can take all the time you need, so long as the Professor doesn't mind." Alex turned to Harold.

Harold waved his hand dismissively. "Nonsense, Alexander. I've no research at the moment, and I won't be hearing anything from the League until tomorrow, so you have until I lock up the doors. Though, given they're young children, this probably won't take long."

Alex chuckled and nodded, turning back to the children. "Well, you heard the old man, take all the time you need!" He sat down in the chair next to the chalkboard and watched the children as they interacted with the Pokemon.

Misty walked over to the Caterpie and sat down next to it. "Hello there, Caterpie! My name's Misty!" Caterpie crawled up Misty's leg and onto her arm, causing Misty to giggle.

Jay sat next to the Meowth. "Hello, Meowth, my name's James, but you can call me Jay!"

Everyone except Alex was surprised by what happened next. "Hello, Jay!" the Meowth said.

Alex outright laughed. "Oh, that never gets old. See, this Meowth is unique. Meowth are naturally intelligent, but somewhere along the line, this one picked up the ability to fluently understand and converse in our language."

Jay nearly squealed in delight. "That's so cool!" The others laughed at Jay's reaction.

Maxwell sat down and extended his hand to Tyrogue, who shook it back. No words were spoken, but no words needed to be said. The two felt drawn to each other in a way.

May sat down next to Vulpix and gulped. "H… Hello, Vulpix. My name's May. It's… it's nice to meet you." Vulpix cooed and slowly pushed its head into May's hand, and she slowly began petting Vulpix. A smile slowly crept onto her face.

Dawn came up to Poliwag and sat down. "Hey there, Poliwag! My name's Dawn, and it's nice to meet you!" " _Poli-poli-wag!_ " She smiled right away.

However, as the others were busy introducing themselves to the Pokemon they had most likely chosen as their starters, alarm bells started ringing with headache-inducing intensity in Alex's mind when he saw the Pichu excitedly approach Ash.  _Fucking hell, you have to be kidding me. Huh… well, I guess Ash is going to have the same kinds of… adventures that I did. It's always been said in history that those who are chosen by their starters are truly destined for greatness, though that isn't always the good kind._  Of course, Ash being the person he was, even at his young age, when the Pichu jumped at him, he caught it in his arms. The Pichu promptly cooed and nuzzled him, which shocked Ash a little, but instead of cry, Ash laughed it off like nothing happened to him in the first place.

_Well, I guess it can't all be bad. I remember Tyranitar being very hesitant around me when we first met and he was just a Pupitar. If young Pichu is already this willing and open to Ash, then I don't doubt their bond will be one of the strongest things the world has ever seen._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (I won't usually post ANs on chapters to my stories uploaded here, but I felt it necessary to explain my reasoning regarding the Pokemon I chose to be the starters for the kids. Bear with me for a minute here.)
> 
> The way I'm handling the initial starter choice, considering the way I've structured the story thus far, I picked well-rounded Pokemon of each *primary* type. The secondary type of the Pokemon did not factor in anywhere in my decision of what the sixteen starters will be. And yes, you heard right, sixteen. This is because there is no Flying-primary type Pokemon in the Kanto region, and the only Steel-primary type, Meltan, is a Mythical Pokemon, which is not something I'm about to give to a group of seven-year-olds. And no, Dratini is not a Legendary or a Mythical Pokemon. Despite its final evolution, Dragonite, being stated as the "Legendary Pokemon" in the Gen I Pokedex, it's actually not rare enough to be considered Mythical or powerful enough to be considered Legendary. It's not one of the Pokemon in Gen I designated to have a 1% encounter rate, and it has the same catch rate (45/255) as nearly a third of the rest of them.
> 
> And before someone gives me grief about including Pokemon that are technically those of other regions in the starter list, do a little research and you'll find that I've only picked Pokemon that evolve into Kanto Pokemon.


End file.
